189 research outputs found
The effects of hemodynamic lag on functional connectivity and behavior after stroke
Stroke disrupts the brain's vascular supply, not only within but also outside areas of infarction. We investigated temporal delays (lag) in resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging signals in 130 stroke patients scanned two weeks, three months and 12 months post stroke onset. Thirty controls were scanned twice at an interval of three months. Hemodynamic lag was determined using cross-correlation with the global gray matter signal. Behavioral performance in multiple domains was assessed in all patients. Regional cerebral blood flow and carotid patency were assessed in subsets of the cohort using arterial spin labeling and carotid Doppler ultrasonography. Significant hemodynamic lag was observed in 30% of stroke patients sub-acutely. Approximately 10% of patients showed lag at one-year post-stroke. Hemodynamic lag corresponded to gross aberrancy in functional connectivity measures, performance deficits in multiple domains and local and global perfusion deficits. Correcting for lag partially normalized abnormalities in measured functional connectivity. Yet post-stroke FC-behavior relationships in the motor and attention systems persisted even after hemodynamic delays were corrected. Resting state fMRI can reliably identify areas of hemodynamic delay following stroke. Our data reveal that hemodynamic delay is common sub-acutely, alters functional connectivity, and may be of clinical importance
Goal disruption theory, military personnel, and the creation of merged profiles: A mixed method investigation
The present study provides an example of the integrated data analysis technique of creating and interpreting merged profiles. By using this approach to merging data sources, we gained unique insight into goal disruption theory (GDT). Qualitative data suggest that military personnel harbor a wide range of desired end-states. Quantitative data support a component of GDT, suggesting that participants who have a strong need for desired end-state displayed greater purposive harm endurance. Interpretation of merged profiles revealed caveats to this relationship, in particular that not all end-states are equally motivating. Results illustrate the benefits of the integrated data analysis technique of creating and interpreting merged profiles. Utilization of the merged profiles illuminated relationships that would not have been exposed otherwise
Spin-ice physics in cadmium cyanide
Spin-ices are frustrated magnets that support a particularly rich variety of emergent physics. Typically, it is the interplay of magnetic dipole interactions, spin anisotropy, and geometric frustration on the pyrochlore lattice that drives spin-ice formation. The relevant physics occurs at temperatures commensurate with the magnetic interaction strength, which for most systems is 1–5 K. Here, we show that non-magnetic cadmium cyanide, Cd(CN)2, exhibits analogous behaviour to magnetic spin-ices, but does so on a temperature scale that is nearly two orders of magnitude greater. The electric dipole moments of cyanide ions in Cd(CN)2 assume the role of magnetic pseudospins, with the difference in energy scale reflecting the increased strength of electric vs magnetic dipolar interactions. As a result, spin-ice physics influences the structural behaviour of Cd(CN)2 even at room temperature.ISSN:2041-172
Multi-Messenger Astronomy with Extremely Large Telescopes
The field of time-domain astrophysics has entered the era of Multi-messenger
Astronomy (MMA). One key science goal for the next decade (and beyond) will be
to characterize gravitational wave (GW) and neutrino sources using the next
generation of Extremely Large Telescopes (ELTs). These studies will have a
broad impact across astrophysics, informing our knowledge of the production and
enrichment history of the heaviest chemical elements, constrain the dense
matter equation of state, provide independent constraints on cosmology,
increase our understanding of particle acceleration in shocks and jets, and
study the lives of black holes in the universe. Future GW detectors will
greatly improve their sensitivity during the coming decade, as will
near-infrared telescopes capable of independently finding kilonovae from
neutron star mergers. However, the electromagnetic counterparts to
high-frequency (LIGO/Virgo band) GW sources will be distant and faint and thus
demand ELT capabilities for characterization. ELTs will be important and
necessary contributors to an advanced and complete multi-messenger network.Comment: White paper submitted to the Astro2020 Decadal Surve
Characterization of the John A. Galt telescope for radio holography with CHIME
The Canadian Hydrogen Intensity Mapping Experiment (CHIME) will measure the
21 cm emission of astrophysical neutral hydrogen to probe large scale structure
at redshifts z=0.8-2.5. However, detecting the 21 cm signal beneath
substantially brighter foregrounds remains a key challenge. Due to the high
dynamic range between 21 cm and foreground emission, an exquisite calibration
of instrument systematics, notably the telescope beam, is required to
successfully filter out the foregrounds. One technique being used to achieve a
high fidelity measurement of the CHIME beam is radio holography, wherein
signals from each of CHIME's analog inputs are correlated with the signal from
a co-located reference antenna, the 26 m John A. Galt telescope, as the 26 m
Galt telescope tracks a bright point source transiting over CHIME. In this work
we present an analysis of several of the Galt telescope's properties. We employ
driftscan measurements of several bright sources, along with background
estimates derived from the 408 MHz Haslam map, to estimate the Galt system
temperature. To determine the Galt telescope's beam shape, we perform and
analyze a raster scan of the bright radio source Cassiopeia A. Finally, we use
early holographic measurements to measure the Galt telescope's geometry with
respect to CHIME for the holographic analysis of the CHIME and Galt
interferometric data set
THE SWIFT UVOT STARS SURVEY. I. METHODS AND TEST CLUSTERS
We describe the motivations and background of a large survey of nearby stel-
lar populations using the Ultraviolet Optical Telescope (UVOT) aboard the Swift
Gamma-Ray Burst Mission. UVOT, with its wide field, NUV sensitivity, and 2.3
spatial resolution, is uniquely suited to studying nearby stellar populations
and providing insight into the NUV properties of hot stars and the contribution
of those stars to the integrated light of more distant stellar populations. We
review the state of UV stellar photometry, outline the survey, and address
problems spe- cific to wide- and crowded-field UVOT photometry. We present
color-magnitude diagrams of the nearby open clusters M 67, NGC 188, and NGC
2539, and the globular cluster M 79. We demonstrate that UVOT can easily
discern the young- and intermediate-age main sequences, blue stragglers, and
hot white dwarfs, pro- ducing results consistent with previous studies. We also
find that it characterizes the blue horizontal branch of M 79 and easily
identifies a known post-asymptotic giant branch star.Comment: 35 pages, 8 figures, accepted for publication in Astronomical Journa
Replication and Explorations of High-Order Epistasis Using a Large Advanced Intercross Line Pedigree
Dissection of the genetic architecture of complex traits persists as a major challenge in biology; despite considerable efforts, much remains unclear including the role and importance of genetic interactions. This study provides empirical evidence for a strong and persistent contribution of both second- and third-order epistatic interactions to long-term selection response for body weight in two divergently selected chicken lines. We earlier reported a network of interacting loci with large effects on body weight in an F2 intercross between these high– and low–body weight lines. Here, most pair-wise interactions in the network are replicated in an independent eight-generation advanced intercross line (AIL). The original report showed an important contribution of capacitating epistasis to growth, meaning that the genotype at a hub in the network releases the effects of one or several peripheral loci. After fine-mapping of the loci in the AIL, we show that these interactions were persistent over time. The replication of five of six originally reported epistatic loci, as well as the capacitating epistasis, provides strong empirical evidence that the originally observed epistasis is of biological importance and is a contributor in the genetic architecture of this population. The stability of genetic interaction mechanisms over time indicates a non-transient role of epistasis on phenotypic change. Third-order epistasis was for the first time examined in this study and was shown to make an important contribution to growth, which suggests that the genetic architecture of growth is more complex than can be explained by two-locus interactions only. Our results illustrate the importance of designing studies that facilitate exploration of epistasis in populations for obtaining a comprehensive understanding of the genetics underlying a complex trait
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